Monday, August 1, 2011

Red Sox Acquire Erik Bedard in Three Team Deal

Okay, first the details:

DODGERS GET: P Juan RodriguezP Stephen FifeC Tim Federowicz

MARINERS GET:OF Trayvon RobinsonOF Chih Hsien Chiang

RED SOX GET:P Erik BedardRP Josh Fields

Bedard was once a highly-accomplished left-hander with a terrific curveball who racked up a lot of strikeouts. Boston is hoping that he is over his recent injury struggles and ready to get back into being that pitcher again. At the least he has to be considered an improvement over the still raw and struggling Andrew Miller. Miller has shown flashes of reaching his potential, but those have been fleeting and he really can not be counted on down the stretch yet. Bedard will hopefully fill his role, particularly with Clay Buchholz now being out for the year. Bedard has been pretty good when healthy this year.

Josh Fields was a first round draft pick in 2008 who has struggled a bit in the minors. This acquisition was important because Bedard is not expected back in Boston next year.

The Red Sox gave up quite a few prospects to get Bedard and Fields, but few of them look like more than role-players in the Major Leagues.

Chih Hsien Chiang was the best player they gave up as he was lighting up the Eastern League. I am a little disappointed that they gave up on him, especially since Che Hsuan Lin has somewhat stalled in his development. Chiang though has never really hit that well coming into this year and is mediocre defensively, at best. There is no telling yet whether his year has been a fluke or part of his development. Disappointing, but he was hardly the best hitter in the minor league system and not likely to be more than a fourth outfielder in the Majors.

Tim Federowicz was the best defensive catcher in the Red Sox system but has been surpassed on the prospect charts by Ryan Lavarnway. Boston could only really keep one and Lavarnway's bat is special.

Stephen Fife has a chance at becoming a back-end starter. I do not know as much about him, but he is 24 and in Double A, so he was not considered that highly.

Juan Rodriguez is a young fireballer. There is not much information about him available.

I think the major reason for this trade is to open some room on the 40 man roster this winter. Chiang, Federowicz, and Fife would all have been subject to the Rule V draft if not dealt and Boston risked losing one or all of them for nothing. So they were traded.

Boston also had a trade for Rich Harden fall through due to his injury problems on Saturday.

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